Arjuna’s Despairअर्जुनविषादयोग

धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः।
मामकाः पाण्डवाश्चैव किमकुर्वत सञ्जय॥

dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ,
māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva kim akurvata sañjaya.

Sanjaya, on the holy field of Kurukshetra, the field of dharma, my sons and the sons of Pandu gathered, eager to fight. What did they do?

दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस्तदा।
आचार्यमुपसङ्गम्य राजा वचनमब्रवीत्॥

dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṁ vyūḍhaṁ duryodhanas tadā,
ācāryam upasaṅgamya rājā vacanam abravīt.

Seeing the army of the Pandavas drawn up in battle formation, King Duryodhana went to his teacher Drona and spoke these words.

पश्यैतां पाण्डुपुत्राणामाचार्य महतीं चमूम्।
व्यूढां द्रुपदपुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता॥

paśyaitāṁ pāṇḍu-putrāṇām ācārya mahatīṁ camūm,
vyūḍhāṁ drupada-putreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā.

Look, O teacher, at this vast army of the sons of Pandu, arrayed for battle by your own gifted pupil, the son of Drupada.

अत्र शूरा महेष्वासा भीमार्जुनसमा युधि।
युयुधानो विराटश्च द्रुपदश्च महारथः॥

atra śūrā maheṣvāsā bhīmārjuna-samā yudhi,
yuyudhāno virāṭaś ca drupadaś ca mahā-rathaḥ.

Here are heroes and mighty archers, equal in battle to Bhima and Arjuna: Yuyudhana, Virata, and Drupada, a great chariot-warrior.

धृष्टकेतुश्चेकितानः काशिराजश्च वीर्यवान्।
पुरुजित्कुन्तिभोजश्च शैब्यश्च नरपुङ्गवः॥

dhṛṣṭaketuś cekitānaḥ kāśi-rājaś ca vīryavān,
purujit kuntibhojaś ca śaibyaś ca nara-puṅgavaḥ.

There are Dhrishtaketu, Chekitana and the valiant king of Kashi, Purujit, Kuntibhoja, and Shaibya, the finest of men.

युधामन्युश्च विक्रान्त उत्तमौजाश्च वीर्यवान्।
सौभद्रो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्व एव महारथाः॥

yudhāmanyuś ca vikrānta uttamaujāś ca vīryavān,
saubhadro draupadeyāś ca sarva eva mahā-rathāḥ.

There are the bold Yudhamanyu and the valiant Uttamaujas, the son of Subhadra, and the sons of Draupadi, every one of them a great chariot-warrior.

अस्माकं तु विशिष्टा ये तान्निबोध द्विजोत्तम।
नायका मम सैन्यस्य संज्ञार्थं तान्ब्रवीमि ते॥

asmākaṁ tu viśiṣṭā ye tān nibodha dvijottama,
nāyakā mama sainyasya saṁjñārthaṁ tān bravīmi te.

Now hear, O best of the twice-born, about the foremost warriors on our side, the leaders of my army. I name them so that you may know them.

भवान्भीष्मश्च कर्णश्च कृपश्च समितिञ्जयः।
अश्वत्थामा विकर्णश्च सौमदत्तिस्तथैव च॥

bhavān bhīṣmaś ca karṇaś ca kṛpaś ca samitiñjayaḥ,
aśvatthāmā vikarṇaś ca saumadattis tathaiva ca.

There are you yourself, Bhishma, Karna, and Kripa, ever victorious in battle, as well as Ashvatthama, Vikarna and the son of Somadatta.

अन्ये च बहवः शूरा मदर्थे त्यक्तजीविताः।
नानाशस्त्रप्रहरणाः सर्वे युद्धविशारदाः॥

anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā mad-arthe tyakta-jīvitāḥ,
nānā-śastra-praharaṇāḥ sarve yuddha-viśāradāḥ.

And many other heroes stand ready to give their lives for my sake. They bear many kinds of weapons, and all are skilled in war.

अपर्याप्तं तदस्माकं बलं भीष्माभिरक्षितम्।
पर्याप्तं त्विदमेतेषां बलं भीमाभिरक्षितम्॥

aparyāptaṁ tad asmākaṁ balaṁ bhīṣmābhirakṣitam,
paryāptaṁ tv idam eteṣāṁ balaṁ bhīmābhirakṣitam.

Our strength, guarded by Bhishma, is beyond measure, while their strength, guarded by Bhima, is limited.

अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथाभागमवस्थिताः।
भीष्ममेवाभिरक्षन्तु भवन्तः सर्व एव हि॥

ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu yathā-bhāgam avasthitāḥ,
bhīṣmam evābhirakṣantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi.

So all of you, holding your assigned places at every point of the formation, must above all protect Bhishma.

तस्य संजनयन्हर्षं कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः।
सिंहनादं विनद्योच्चैः शङ्खं दध्मौ प्रतापवान्॥

tasya saṁjanayan harṣaṁ kuru-vṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ,
siṁha-nādaṁ vinadyoccaiḥ śaṅkhaṁ dadhmau pratāpavān.

Then, to cheer Duryodhana, the mighty Bhishma, the grandsire and eldest of the Kurus, let out a lion’s roar and blew his conch.

ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च पणवानकगोमुखाः।
सहसैवाभ्यहन्यन्त स शब्दस्तुमुलोऽभवत्॥

tataḥ śaṅkhāś ca bheryaś ca paṇavānaka-gomukhāḥ,
sahasaivābhyahanyanta sa śabdas tumulo ‘bhavat.

Then conches, kettledrums, tabors, drums and horns all sounded at once, and the noise was tremendous.

ततः श्वेतैर्हयैर्युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ।
माधवः पाण्डवश्चैव दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः॥

tataḥ śvetair hayair yukte mahati syandane sthitau,
mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaś caiva divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ.

Then, standing in their great chariot yoked to white horses, Krishna and Arjuna blew their divine conches.

पाञ्चजन्यं हृषीकेशो देवदत्तं धनंजयः।
पौण्ड्रं दध्मौ महाशङ्खं भीमकर्मा वृकोदरः॥

pāñcajanyaṁ hṛṣīkeśo devadattaṁ dhanaṁjayaḥ,
pauṇḍraṁ dadhmau mahā-śaṅkhaṁ bhīma-karmā vṛkodaraḥ.

Krishna blew Panchajanya, Arjuna blew Devadatta, and Bhima, doer of fearsome deeds, blew the great conch Paundra.

अनन्तविजयं राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः।
नकुलः सहदेवश्च सुघोषमणिपुष्पकौ॥

ananta-vijayaṁ rājā kuntī-putro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ,
nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca sughoṣa-maṇipuṣpakau.

King Yudhishthira, son of Kunti, blew Anantavijaya, and Nakula and Sahadeva blew Sughosha and Manipushpaka.

काश्यश्च परमेष्वासः शिखण्डी च महारथः।
धृष्टद्युम्नो विराटश्च सात्यकिश्चापराजितः॥

kāśyaś ca parameṣvāsaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahā-rathaḥ,
dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaś ca sātyakiś cāparājitaḥ.

The king of Kashi, a superb archer, the great chariot-warrior Shikhandi, Dhrishtadyumna, Virata and the unconquered Satyaki sounded their conches as well.

द्रुपदो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वशः पृथिवीपते।
सौभद्रश्च महाबाहुः शङ्खान्दध्मुः पृथक्पृथक्॥

drupado draupadeyāś ca sarvaśaḥ pṛthivī-pate,
saubhadraś ca mahā-bāhuḥ śaṅkhān dadhmuḥ pṛthak pṛthak.

Drupada, the sons of Draupadi, and the mighty-armed son of Subhadra each blew their own conches on every side, O king.

स घोषो धार्तराष्ट्राणां हृदयानि व्यदारयत्।
नभश्च पृथिवीं चैव तुमुलो व्यनुनादयन्॥

sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṁ hṛdayāni vyadārayat,
nabhaś ca pṛthivīṁ caiva tumulo vyanunādayan.

That tremendous roar, echoing through sky and earth, tore at the hearts of Dhritarashtra’s sons.

अथ व्यवस्थितान् दृष्ट्वा धार्तराष्ट्रान्कपिध्वजः।
प्रवृत्ते शस्त्रसंपाते धनुरुद्यम्य पाण्डवः॥

atha vyavasthitān dṛṣṭvā dhārtarāṣṭrān kapi-dhvajaḥ,
pravṛtte śastra-saṁpāte dhanur udyamya pāṇḍavaḥ.

Then Arjuna, whose banner bears the monkey, saw the sons of Dhritarashtra standing in battle order. As the weapons were about to clash, he raised his bow.

हृषीकेशं तदा वाक्यमिदमाह महीपते।
सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये रथं स्थापय मेऽच्युत॥

hṛṣīkeśaṁ tadā vākyam idam āha mahī-pate,
senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me ‘cyuta.

Then, O king, Arjuna said these words to Krishna: Place my chariot between the two armies.

यावदेतान्निरीक्षेऽहं योद्धुकामानवस्थितान्।
कैर्मया सह योद्धव्यमस्मिन्रणसमुद्यमे॥

yāvad etān nirīkṣe ‘haṁ yoddhu-kāmān avasthitān,
kair mayā saha yoddhavyam asmin raṇa-samudyame.

Keep it there while I look at these warriors standing eager for battle, and see whom I must fight in this great clash of arms.

योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः।
धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्युद्धे प्रियचिकीर्षवः॥

yotsyamānān avekṣe ‘haṁ ya ete ‘tra samāgatāḥ,
dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddher yuddhe priya-cikīrṣavaḥ.

I want to see those who have gathered here to fight, eager to please the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra in this war.

एवमुक्तो हृषीकेशो गुडाकेशेन भारत।
सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये स्थापयित्वा रथोत्तमम्॥

evam ukto hṛṣīkeśo guḍākeśena bhārata,
senayor ubhayor madhye sthāpayitvā rathottamam.

Addressed in this way by Arjuna, O king, Krishna brought that finest of chariots to a halt between the two armies.

भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतः सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम्।
उवाच पार्थ पश्यैतान्समवेतान्कुरूनिति॥

bhīṣma-droṇa-pramukhataḥ sarveṣāṁ ca mahīkṣitām,
uvāca pārtha paśyaitān samavetān kurūn iti.

Facing Bhishma, Drona and all the rulers of the earth, Krishna said: O Partha, see these Kurus gathered here.

तत्रापश्यत्स्थितान्पार्थः पितॄनथ पितामहान्।
आचार्यान्मातुलान्भ्रातॄन्पुत्रान्पौत्रान्सखींस्तथा॥

tatrāpaśyat sthitān pārthaḥ pitṝn atha pitāmahān,
ācāryān mātulān bhrātṝn putrān pautrān sakhīṁs tathā.

There Arjuna saw them standing: elders of his father’s generation, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons and friends.

श्वशुरान्सुहृदश्चैव सेनयोरुभयोरपि।
तान्समीक्ष्य स कौन्तेयः सर्वान्बन्धूनवस्थितान्॥

śvaśurān suhṛdaś caiva senayor ubhayor api,
tān samīkṣya sa kaunteyaḥ sarvān bandhūn avasthitān.

He saw fathers-in-law and dear friends in both armies. The son of Kunti looked closely at all these kinsmen standing ready for battle.

कृपया परयाऽऽविष्टो विषीदन्निदमब्रवीत्।
दृष्ट्वेमं स्वजनं कृष्ण युयुत्सुं समुपस्थितम्॥

kṛpayā parayā ‘ ‘viṣṭo viṣīdann idam abravīt,
dṛṣṭvemaṁ sva-janaṁ kṛṣṇa yuyutsuṁ samupasthitam.

Filled with deep pity and sinking into sorrow, he said: O Krishna, I see my own people gathered here, eager to fight.

सीदन्ति मम गात्राणि मुखं च परिशुष्यति।
वेपथुश्च शरीरे मे रोमहर्षश्च जायते॥

sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṁ ca pariśuṣyati,
vepathuś ca śarīre me roma-harṣaś ca jāyate.

My limbs give way and my mouth is dry. My body trembles and my hair stands on end.

गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते।
न च शक्नोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मनः॥

gāṇḍīvaṁ sraṁsate hastāt tvak caiva paridahyate,
na ca śaknomy avasthātuṁ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ.

My bow Gandiva slips from my hand and my skin is burning. I cannot stand steady, and my mind seems to spin.

निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव।
न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे॥

nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava,
na ca śreyo ‘nupaśyāmi hatvā sva-janam āhave.

I see ill omens, O Krishna, and I see no good in killing my own people in battle.

न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च।
किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा॥

na kāṅkṣe vijayaṁ kṛṣṇa na ca rājyaṁ sukhāni ca,
kiṁ no rājyena govinda kiṁ bhogair jīvitena vā.

I do not want victory, O Krishna, nor a kingdom, nor its pleasures. What use to us is a kingdom, or enjoyment, or even life itself?

येषामर्थे काङ्क्षितं नो राज्यं भोगाः सुखानि च।
त इमेऽवस्थिता युद्धे प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा धनानि च॥

yeṣām arthe kāṅkṣitaṁ no rājyaṁ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca,
ta ime ‘vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṁs tyaktvā dhanāni ca.

The very people for whose sake we wanted a kingdom, enjoyments and comforts now stand here in battle, ready to give up their lives and wealth.

आचार्याः पितरः पुत्रास्तथैव च पितामहाः।
मातुलाः श्वशुराः पौत्राः श्यालाः सम्बन्धिनस्तथा॥

ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrās tathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ,
mātulāḥ śvaśurāḥ pautrāḥ śyālāḥ sambandhinas tathā.

They are teachers, fathers, sons and grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other relatives.

एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामि घ्नतोऽपि मधुसूदन।
अपि त्रैलोक्यराज्यस्य हेतोः किं नु महीकृते॥

etān na hantum icchāmi ghnato ‘pi madhusūdana,
api trailokya-rājyasya hetoḥ kiṁ nu mahī-kṛte.

I do not wish to kill them, O Krishna, even if they kill me, not even for rule over the three worlds, much less for this earth.

निहत्य धार्तराष्ट्रान्नः का प्रीतिः स्याज्जनार्दन।
पापमेवाश्रयेदस्मान्हत्वैतानाततायिनः॥

nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrān naḥ kā prītiḥ syāj janārdana,
pāpam evāśrayed asmān hatvaitān ātatāyinaḥ.

What joy could we find in killing the sons of Dhritarashtra, O Krishna? Even though they are aggressors, only sin would cling to us for killing them.

तस्मान्नार्हा वयं हन्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रान्स्वबान्धवान्।
स्वजनं हि कथं हत्वा सुखिनः स्याम माधव॥

tasmān nārhā vayaṁ hantuṁ dhārtarāṣṭrān sva-bāndhavān,
sva-janaṁ hi kathaṁ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava.

So it is not right for us to kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, our own kinsmen. How could we be happy, O Krishna, after killing our own people?

यद्यप्येते न पश्यन्ति लोभोपहतचेतसः।
कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं मित्रद्रोहे च पातकम्॥

yadyapy ete na paśyanti lobhopahata-cetasaḥ,
kula-kṣaya-kṛtaṁ doṣaṁ mitra-drohe ca pātakam.

Their minds are clouded by greed, so they see no wrong in destroying a family and no sin in betraying friends.

कथं न ज्ञेयमस्माभिः पापादस्मान्निवर्तितुम्।
कुलक्षयकृतं दोषं प्रपश्यद्भिर्जनार्दन॥

kathaṁ na jñeyam asmābhiḥ pāpād asmān nivartitum,
kula-kṣaya-kṛtaṁ doṣaṁ prapaśyadbhir janārdana.

But we clearly see the wrong in destroying a family, O Krishna. Why should we not know enough to turn away from this sin?

कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः।
धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत॥

kula-kṣaye praṇaśyanti kula-dharmāḥ sanātanāḥ,
dharme naṣṭe kulaṁ kṛtsnam adharmo ‘bhibhavaty uta.

When a family is destroyed, its age-old family traditions perish. And when dharma is lost, adharma overtakes the whole family.

अधर्माभिभवात्कृष्ण प्रदुष्यन्ति कुलस्त्रियः।
स्त्रीषु दुष्टासु वार्ष्णेय जायते वर्णसङ्करः॥

adharmābhibhavāt kṛṣṇa praduṣyanti kula-striyaḥ,
strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya jāyate varṇa-saṅkaraḥ.

When adharma prevails, O Krishna, the women of the family become corrupted, and when the women are corrupted, a mixing of varnas arises.

सङ्करो नरकायैव कुलघ्नानां कुलस्य च।
पतन्ति पितरो ह्येषां लुप्तपिण्डोदकक्रियाः॥

saṅkaro narakāyaiva kula-ghnānāṁ kulasya ca,
patanti pitaro hy eṣāṁ lupta-piṇḍodaka-kriyāḥ.

This mixing leads both the family and those who destroy it to hell, and their ancestors fall, deprived of the ritual offerings of pinda and water.

दोषैरेतैः कुलघ्नानां वर्णसङ्करकारकैः।
उत्साद्यन्ते जातिधर्माः कुलधर्माश्च शाश्वताः॥

doṣair etaiḥ kula-ghnānāṁ varṇa-saṅkara-kārakaiḥ,
utsādyante jāti-dharmāḥ kula-dharmāś ca śāśvatāḥ.

Through these wrongs of the family destroyers, which bring about the mixing of varnas, the duties of jati and the timeless traditions of the family are uprooted.

उत्सन्नकुलधर्माणां मनुष्याणां जनार्दन।
नरकेऽनियतं वासो भवतीत्यनुशुश्रुम॥

utsanna-kula-dharmāṇāṁ manuṣyāṇāṁ janārdana,
narake ‘niyataṁ vāso bhavatīty anuśuśruma.

O Krishna, we have heard that people whose family traditions are destroyed dwell in hell for an indefinite time.

अहो बत महत्पापं कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम्।
यद्राज्यसुखलोभेन हन्तुं स्वजनमुद्यताः॥

aho bata mahat pāpaṁ kartuṁ vyavasitā vayam,
yad rājya-sukha-lobhena hantuṁ sva-janam udyatāḥ.

Alas, what a great sin we have resolved to commit, ready to kill our own people out of greed for the pleasures of a kingdom.

यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः।
धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे हन्युस्तन्मे क्षेमतरं भवेत्॥

yadi mām apratīkāram aśastraṁ śastra-pāṇayaḥ,
dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyus tan me kṣemataraṁ bhavet.

It would be better for me if the sons of Dhritarashtra, weapons in hand, killed me in battle while I stood unarmed and did not resist.

एवमुक्त्वाऽर्जुनः संख्ये रथोपस्थ उपाविशत्।
विसृज्य सशरं चापं शोकसंविग्नमानसः॥

evam uktvā ‘rjunaḥ saṁkhye rathopastha upāviśat,
visṛjya sa-śaraṁ cāpaṁ śoka-saṁvigna-mānasaḥ.

Having spoken thus on the battlefield, Arjuna cast aside his bow and arrows and sank down on the seat of his chariot, his mind overwhelmed with grief.